Beach Buggy Blitz has instant appeal; it has a charm and character found in racing games such as Mario Kart and Donkey Kong Racing, and has a great depth that means the player will be coming back for more. For a free download this Beach Buggy Blitz sets an extremely high standard in terms of gameplay and graphics. It’s addictive and fun in equal quantities and a game that can be used to show off any modern Android system.

The Game

Beach Buggy Blitz is a more a see-how-far-you-can-drive-and-collect-coins game rather than a racing game. It looks like a racing game, and plays like a racing game, however the idea is to see how far you can get and how many coins you can collect on your travels.

The gamer drives through some of the most beautifully designed courses yet seen on a mobile device; in your path are the twists and turns of the track, other racers, seagulls, barrels, giant crabs and so much more. Your mission is to reach the next checkpoint, and upon doing this you get extra time in which to reach the next checkpoint.

As the time ticks down, the gamer can pick up power-ups in the shape of extra speed, immunity to obstacles, bonus coins and much more. Thankfully you can collect coins and buy additional power-up levels meaning you get extra time limits, extra time with extra speed and more bonus coins. Coins also allow you to buy extra vehicles, enhance your vehicles, paint your vehicles, buy different drivers and so much more. There really is a lot of gameplay for a free game, and the more you play the game the more you will unlock.

Controls

Beach Buggy Blitz takes a brilliant approach to controlling your vehicle. Simply tap the left or the right side of your screen and the car will turn in that direction. The vehicle auto-accelerates so there is no need to worry about controlling speed, and to brake you simply press the brake buttons on the bottom corners of the play area. There is the usual option for tilt-to-turn, however as always this is an option to be avoided to make the most of the game.

Beach Buggy Blitz In-Game

Graphics

Games have advanced in leaps and bounds in the graphical department, even month on month a new game can look so much better than a game released a short time before. Beach Buggy Blitz has a sort of Mario feel to it, and the cartoon quality graphics are really in a league of their own. Animations are aplenty, and the colour palette used is straight out of a Sega gaming world. Skies are blue, the sea is bluer, sand and mud look like a cartoon version of the real thing and waterfalls splash and look stunning.

Beach Buggy Blitz runs at a smooth framerate on both the Samsung S3 and Nexus 7, and thanks to a deal with Nvidia, the Nexus 7 version has added water-splash and speed effects thrown into the mix. To be honest though, they don’t really add much to the game, and players can easily live with or without the extra effects.

In the menu screen there is even an option to have a better framerate and lower-res graphics, or lower framerate and high-res graphics. Of course, on power-house machines such as the S3 and Nexus 7 these options are not needed, but on lesser devices they will no doubt aid the gamer in having a smooth gaming experience.

Sound

The soundtrack to the game sounds like a typical surf-music riff, and it’s a great fit for the game. The sound effects are also better quality than in most games, and you can tell the developers have put a lot of hard work into making sure that every aspect of the game is perfect.

Overall

Beach Buggy Blitz is a rare gem of a game that transcends ages and looks as good as it plays. It’s a clever cross between a racing game and a never-ending running game, and because it’s so fine-tuned you’ll be addicted before you realise you’ve been playing it for endless hours.

This is a game that any avid gamer would assume they should pay for, yet it is totally free. It’ss easy enough to collect coins and unlock the many features that can be unlocked. Beach Buggy Blitz is another game that crosses the console/mobile gaming barrier, and would no doubt be as good on a console as it really is on a mobile device. Simple, beautiful and rather sexy to look at.

BEACH BUGGY BLITZ (ANDROID) REVIEW

Gaming Illustrated RATING

Overall92%

Gameplay9

It's just a dream to play this game. Controls are spot-on, presentation is awesome and the whole things just screams quality.

Sound9

Value10

Mark Adams been gaming since 1977 and owned almost every console since the original Pong machine. Gaming has always been part of his life and he enjoys a variety of games and his mind is always open to new experiences in the gaming world. Over the years he has written gaming articles for blogs and local newspapers, and he always tries and add something a little bit different from your usual review. He works in IT for a small local company in Wales, and when he's not working, he's gaming!